Stripping membranes?

Hey all I'm about 39 1/2 weeks and have an appointment today. I've been 1 cm 30% for the past two weeks so we'll see if I make any new progress today. I've had a lot of pressure and lower back pain. Also questionable discharge maybe amniotic leak. TMI warning but in the shower I felt wet and felt and on my finger there was white spots like vernix maybe? My sister in law said around this time she had her membranes swept and the next day went into labor. I know there is a risk of the water breaking, and slight risk of infection. I want to birth naturally and don't want the sweep to interfere with a natural labor. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with the doctor sweeping your membranes and if it worked or led to further intervention.

The white stuff you saw is most likely just typical cervical discharge. It is possible you have a tear in your sac, just mention that at your appt..the doc can swab your cervix and tell you if it is.

As for the membrane sweep. I had one with Ds5. I went to my 38 week appt, I was 2 cm and 50%. The doc did the sweep. That afternoon I had some blood tinged mucus, pressure and some contractions...I had the same things only slightly increased over the next 3 days. Then on the 4th day after my sweep I woke up feeling like I was leakign fluid. I went to L& D they said it was just urine and that i was still 2 cm and 50%. I went home but my contractions continued to increase in intensity so I called my ob, she told me to go back to L & D. I got there around 330 that afternoon. They said this time I WAS leaking and I was 3 cm and 75% and they admitted me. My son was born at 6:54 that evening...I barely got my epidural becuase he came so fast. He was crowning as they were inserting it. I wish now I had just told them nevermind.

The white stuff you saw is most likely just typical cervical discharge. It is possible you have a tear in your sac, just mention that at your appt..the doc can swab your cervix and tell you if it is.

As for the membrane sweep. I had one with Ds5. I went to my 38 week appt, I was 2 cm and 50%. The doc did the sweep. That afternoon I had some blood tinged mucus, pressure and some contractions...I had the same things only slightly increased over the next 3 days. Then on the 4th day after my sweep I woke up feeling like I was leakign fluid. I went to L& D they said it was just urine and that i was still 2 cm and 50%. I went home but my contractions continued to increase in intensity so I called my ob, she told me to go back to L & D. I got there around 330 that afternoon. They said this time I WAS leaking and I was 3 cm and 75% and they admitted me. My son was born at 6:54 that evening...I barely got my epidural becuase he came so fast. He was crowning as they were inserting it. I wish now I had just told them nevermind.

Thank you! I'm not sure if he's going to offer to do it or not, I just wasn't sure if I should go ahead and ask for it or continue to wait. I'm getting anxious and he already said he thinks the baby is going to be bigger then my son who was 7lb 2 oz I had him at 38 weeks. I'm small so I don't want to deliver a huge baby! But I don't want my water to break to early or take unnecessary risk either. I'm so confuse about whether I should ask him or not!

Thank you! I'm not sure if he's going to offer to do it or not, I just wasn't sure if I should go ahead and ask for it or continue to wait. I'm getting anxious and he already said he thinks the baby is going to be bigger then my son who was 7lb 2 oz I had him at 38 weeks. I'm small so I don't want to deliver a huge baby! But I don't want my water to break to early or take unnecessary risk either. I'm so confuse about whether I should ask him or not!

It wouldn't hurt to ask...some doctors don't out right offer it but will do it if the patient requests it. Some docs don't like to do it at all. If he doesn't bring it up, and it's something you are willing to try, there's no harm bringing it up to him!

I'm sure you've heard this before but...walk walk walk. Some people don't think it helps but I swear by it. I did a lot of walking with 3 of my kids and had them ALL before their due dates. With my last I was working a lot and couldn't walk, I was induced on my due date. This time I'm not wokring and plan to walk walk walk walk walk :)

It wouldn't hurt to ask...some doctors don't out right offer it but will do it if the patient requests it. Some docs don't like to do it at all. If he doesn't bring it up, and it's something you are willing to try, there's no harm bringing it up to him!

I'm sure you've heard this before but...walk walk walk. Some people don't think it helps but I swear by it. I did a lot of walking with 3 of my kids and had them ALL before their due dates. With my last I was working a lot and couldn't walk, I was induced on my due date. This time I'm not wokring and plan to walk walk walk walk walk :)

I had it done at 41 weeks and I didn't go into labor, at 42 weeks I had it done and 3 hours later I was having contractions 10 min apart. My labor did slow down and my dr broke my watter (I'm never having that done again unless it's 100% medically necessary), then that sped things up a lot.

I had it done at 41 weeks and I didn't go into labor, at 42 weeks I had it done and 3 hours later I was having contractions 10 min apart. My labor did slow down and my dr broke my watter (I'm never having that done again unless it's 100% medically necessary), then that sped things up a lot.

Having your membranes swept is the most natural method of labor induction and should NOT interfere with a natural labor whatsoever. The white stuff on your fingers was cervical discharge. If your water broke you would still be leaking.

I have had my membranes swept with all three of my daughters. The first two I had them within 24 hours of the sweep. I did not have natural births. I chose to have epidurals.

With my third daughter I decided to go a more natural route. I had the membrane sweep but didn't actually go into labor until 3-4 days afterward. My water broken on its own. The midwife told me after she did the sweep that I had a very bulgy bag of water because of it and that she would be surprised if it didn't break at some point.

Anyway I ended up having a natural birth, pushing in a side-lying position and pushing at my own discretion without having to hold my breath or count (soooo lovely)! I didn't have an IV or those bands around my belly. I was free to move around and it was just a lovely experience. Hurt like nothing else has ever hurt but I survived and my husband was SO incredibly proud of me... and I was proud of me.

So needless to say a membrane sweep is the lowest intervention for labor induction. If your body is ready it will go into labor. If your body is not ready it will NOT go into labor, even with the sweep. So it doesn't hurt to try at least.

Having your membranes swept is the most natural method of labor induction and should NOT interfere with a natural labor whatsoever. The white stuff on your fingers was cervical discharge. If your water broke you would still be leaking.

I have had my membranes swept with all three of my daughters. The first two I had them within 24 hours of the sweep. I did not have natural births. I chose to have epidurals.

With my third daughter I decided to go a more natural route. I had the membrane sweep but didn't actually go into labor until 3-4 days afterward. My water broken on its own. The midwife told me after she did the sweep that I had a very bulgy bag of water because of it and that she would be surprised if it didn't break at some point.

Anyway I ended up having a natural birth, pushing in a side-lying position and pushing at my own discretion without having to hold my breath or count (soooo lovely)! I didn't have an IV or those bands around my belly. I was free to move around and it was just a lovely experience. Hurt like nothing else has ever hurt but I survived and my husband was SO incredibly proud of me... and I was proud of me.

So needless to say a membrane sweep is the lowest intervention for labor induction. If your body is ready it will go into labor. If your body is not ready it will NOT go into labor, even with the sweep. So it doesn't hurt to try at least.

The doc said I was still a fingertip and he could only stretch it to 1cm but 50% effaced now and the baby was lower. I asked the nurse about the sweep and she said the doc does it when the baby is really low. I'm guessing the doc didn't do it during the exam because I haven't had any show. I got some evening primrose oil and am just taking them orally in case the membranes are stripped I don't want to risk infection inserting vaginally. I walked 20 minutes on my treadmill last night, and woke up this morning and started cleaning so I'm hoping things will progress. He set me up for an appointment Monday and said we'll talk about induction, but I don't want to induce medically! But I'll definately have him strip the membranes Monday if I don't have her before then, because I don't want to go through them breaking my water or pitocin and risk her not coming and needing a c-section!!

The doc said I was still a fingertip and he could only stretch it to 1cm but 50% effaced now and the baby was lower. I asked the nurse about the sweep and she said the doc does it when the baby is really low. I'm guessing the doc didn't do it during the exam because I haven't had any show. I got some evening primrose oil and am just taking them orally in case the membranes are stripped I don't want to risk infection inserting vaginally. I walked 20 minutes on my treadmill last night, and woke up this morning and started cleaning so I'm hoping things will progress. He set me up for an appointment Monday and said we'll talk about induction, but I don't want to induce medically! But I'll definately have him strip the membranes Monday if I don't have her before then, because I don't want to go through them breaking my water or pitocin and risk her not coming and needing a c-section!!

Hey all I'm about 39 1/2 weeks and have an appointment today. I've been 1 cm 30% for the past two weeks so we'll see if I make any new progress today. I've had a lot of pressure and lower back pain. Also questionable discharge maybe amniotic leak. TMI warning but in the shower I felt wet and felt and on my finger there was white spots like vernix maybe? My sister in law said around this time she had her membranes swept and the next day went into labor. I know there is a risk of the water breaking, and slight risk of infection. I want to birth naturally and don't want the sweep to interfere with a natural labor. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with the doctor sweeping your membranes and if it worked or led to further intervention.

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